Date-stamped : 14 Oct97 - 06:16
Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh

From Shaun Orange in Nairobi

Grant and Andy Flower posted the highest score for the first
wicket by Zimbabweans in one-day internationals when they
stroked their way to 161 against Bangladesh in the Trust Bank
Tri-Nations cricket tournament at Gymkhana Sports Club here
yesterday.

The Flower brothers, who form an integral part of Zimbabwe's
cricket team, chalked up half centuries alongside Guy Whittall
as they consigned Bangladesh to their second successive defeat
in the competition.

The tournament favourites reached 305 for four in the limited
overs fixture, then bowled out the ICC campions for 257 to win
by 48 runs.

Zimbabwe got off to a marvellous start when Grant and Andy laid
the foundation for a big score with some intelligent cricket and
good running between the wickets. Grant was the first to depart
when he was caught by Aminul Islam off his own spin bowling for
78. That was in the 30th over and after he had faced 91 balls in
two hours at the crease (7 x 4s, 1 x 6).

Craig Evans joined Andy Flower in the middle and was immediately
dismissed, wicket-keeper Khaled Mashud taking a good catch off
the bowling of Islam.

Andy followed the footpath to the pavilion two overs later when
Bangladesh skipper Akram Khan took a catch at mid-off to give
Islam his third wicket. But that was not before Andy top-scored
for his side with 81, during which he faced 96 deliveries in two
hours 14 minutes and smashed five boundaries.

That mini-collapse was set aside by a fourth-wicket stand of 77
between Whittall and captain Alistair Campbell. Whittall
finished with an unbeaten 79 off just 80 balls and his knock
included six fours, while Campbell chipped in with 29 before he
was clean bowled.

Islam, for his part, ended with figures of 3-57 off 10 overs.

Bangladesh coach, former West Indian batsman Gordon Greenidge,
said there was an improvement yesterday on their drubbing by
Kenya in the first game on Friday, He, however, pointed out that
a lot still needed to be worked on.

Campbell said after the match that he was pleased with their
performance and added that the bowling at the beginning of the
Bangladesh innings could have been better.

"There is no doubt about that," he said. "We did not bowl the
correct line and length early on, but towards the end it came
good."

Grant Flower, who also bagged two wickets, was named man of the
match, and is expected to open the batting with his brother
again today when they take on Kenya.

Zimbabwe team manager Babu Meman said they were prepared for a
much tougher encounter against the home team, who set a world
best of 225 for the first wicket in Firday's game.

Bangladesh and Kenya were awarded One-Day International status
by the ICC in June.


Source: the Sunday Mail (Harare) 12 October 1997

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